In today’s episode, we’re going behind the scenes on how a lawyer with a love for books ditched the courtroom to become one of our all-time favorite authors! And just what exactly is that secret to creating characters so beloved you can’t stop thinking about them?
Emily Giffin, New York Times Best-Selling Author of Something Borrowed and The Summer Pact is on the podcast joining not just Brittany, but also our book-loving gal, Nichelle, for the ultimate girl’s chat!
Believe it or not, Emily Giffin wasn’t always planning to write the novels we now devour in a weekend. Her journey to literary fame started in the most unexpected place: a law firm. In the nineties, Emily was practicing law and balancing a demanding career with her love for writing. But despite her passion, writing took a backseat to her legal career — at least at first.
After years of planning, saving, and paying off her student loans, Emily finally decided to give writing her full attention. It wasn’t an overnight success—far from it. It took her five years to complete her first manuscript and after all that work, was met with one rejection after another. It’s hard to imagine now, but even one of our faves,Something Borrowed, was rejected multiple times before a publisher was willing to take a chance on it. But Emily’s persistence paid off, and onceSomething Borrowed hit the shelves, it became a staple read for millennial women everywhere. The rest, as they say, is history!
In this episode, Brittany, Nichelle, and Emily talk about:
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Emily’s not-so-linear journey from litigation lawyer to bestselling author: Learn how she made the brave leap from a legal career to the world of writing, moving to London and living around the corner from JK Rowling, and the countless rejections she faced along the way.
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Crafting unforgettable characters: Emily shares her secret sauce for creating characters who do all the wrong things for seemingly the right reasons, making us fall in love with them despite their flaws (and the messy, complicated reality that good people sometimes do bad things.)
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The scoop on her writing process: Ever wonder what sparks the idea for a bestseller? Emily says sometimes just one conversation with girlfriends can inspire a multitude of book topics. She gives us the behind-the-scenes details on how her books come to life, from the initial premise to the final manuscript, and all the drafts in between.
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The inspiration behind The Summer Pact: Emily talks about the themes of toxic perfectionism and the deep bonds of friendship that inspired her latest novel. She also opens up about the hidden life lessons tucked between the pages—lessons that she hopes will resonate with her readers.
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Why she’s jealous of Nichelle 👀: You’ll have to listen to find out, but let’s just say it involves a book she wishes she could read again for the first time!
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There’s a cameo in all of her books: We loved hearing this little insider secret! Each of her stories sneakily mentions a crossover character from another book. Not us dusting off our book collection to go back and figure out who they are!
- Is she really a Swiftie? We’re diving into Emily’s love for Taylor Swift, and her theory that she and Travis Kelce are already engaged!
After this episode, you’ll feel like the creator of some of your favorite book characters just became one of your best friends. Emily’s warmth, humor, and relatability shine through in every story she tells, making it impossible not to be inspired by her journey. Whether you’re a writer, a reader, or someone with a dream that’s been simmering on the back burner, Emily’s story is proof that it’s never too late to go after what you want!
Follow Brittany at Loverly Grey here.
Follow Emily Giffin here.
Follow Emily’s Book Club here.
Follow along with Emily’s newest book releases, appearances and more here.
Follow Life with Loverly here.
Buy ‘The Summer Pact’ here.
Watch on Youtube here.